Yahoo asks US surveillance court to allow revealing its fight against 'snoop-op' Prism

Wellington, July 11 (ANI): Internet Corporation Yahoo has reportedly asked the US surveillance court to allow it publishing files related to its fight against the alleged 'snoop-op' Prism in 2008 led by the NSA.

According to Stuff.co.nz, Yahoo's revelation of the files would demonstrate the company's 'strenuous objection' to the demands made by US government for furnishing user data and also help the public understand how surveillance programs are approved under federal law.

Legal experts said that if Yahoo succeeds in publishing some of the court files, it would be a historic development and an important step towards throwing light on the revealed NSA led Prism Program.

Alex Abdo, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney, said that it is the first time one of the internet companies is making an argument in favour of transparency in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court.

The report said that in a bid to convince the public that the internet companies didn't just invite the government to peruse customer files or give authorities broad access to users' email, internet chats and other online activities, many of the internet companies including Yahoo are appealing in the FISA court to reveal the court proceeding details.

Google and Microsoft have also challenged secrecy rules by filing lawsuits seeking permission to reveal, how many requests for information they have received under national security programs.

Mark Rumold, an attorney who has worked on surveillance court issues said that when a company gets presented with an order it doesn't think is constitutional and the government says that they have this secret court opinion that it is constitutional then the company is in a limbo.

FISA had rejected Yahoo's appeal five years ago to declassify the fact that Yahoo was part of the companies in the 'snoop-op' case.(ANI)